Lenfest Spirit of the American Revolution Award

2020 Lenfest Spirit of the American Revolution Award Gala

Check back on June 11 for a virtual tribute to our 2020 Lenfest Award recipients!

Museum of the American Revolution President & CEO Dr. R. Scott Stephenson invites you to a virtual tribute to 2020 Lenfest Spirit of the American Revolution Award recipients Christiane Amanpour, Chief International Anchor for CNN and host of Amanpour & Co. on PBS, and Dr. Louise Mirrer, President and CEO of New-York Historical Society, for their trailblazing work in journalism and public history.

The Lenfest Award was created and endowed in 2016 by the Museum’s late Founding Chairman H.F. (Gerry) Lenfest to honor individuals who advance public awareness and understanding of history and its relevance in the ongoing American experiment. The Museum previously presented the award to documentary filmmaker Ken Burns in 2019 and Pulitzer Prize-winning author David McCullough in 2016.

Lenfest Spirit of the American Revolution Award Recipients

2020 Recipients - Christiane Amanpour & Louise Mirrer

The Museum of the American Revolution is pleased to present the 2020 Lenfest Spirit of the American Revolution Award to two revolutionary women – Christiane Amanpour, Chief International Anchor of CNN and host of Amanpour & Co. on PBS, and Louise Mirrer, President and CEO of New-York Historical Society. Both honorees will be presented with an award medal and a $25,000 prize at a private event and dinner at the Museum.

Christiane Amanpour is CNN’s Chief International Anchor of the network’s award-winning, flagship Global Affairs Program “Amanpour,” which airs on PBS in the United States. She has earned every major television journalism award, including 11 News and Documentary Emmy Awards and the Courage in Journalism Award. She was inducted into the Cable Hall of Fame in 2019 and is a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Freedom of the Press and the Safety of Journalists.

Louise Mirrer, Ph.D. is President and Chief Executive Officer of the New-York Historical Society, responsible for all exhibitions, programs, activities, and administrative functions. Under her revolutionary leadership over the last decade and a half, Dr. Mirrer significantly transformed the New-York Historical Society into a vibrant institution that is advancing public awareness of history through its many programs and exhibitions.

2019 Recipient - Ken Burns

Ken Burns has been making documentary films for over forty years and has directed and produced some of the most acclaimed historical documentaries ever made, including major multi-part series on the Civil War, the Second World War, and the Vietnam War. Future projects include films on the American Revolution, the Civil Rights era, and the history of Reconstruction, among numerous others. Burns’ films have been honored with dozens of major awards, including fifteen Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards, and two Oscar nominations. In September of 2008, Ken was honored by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

On April 11, 2019, the Museum presented Ken Burns with the Lenfest Spirit of the American Revolution Award. Known as ‘America’s Storyteller,’ Ken Burns’ lifetime of work has inspired millions, from all ages and all walks of life, to learn more about our nation’s complex and dramatic history, emotionally connecting us to our nation through the artistry of his informative storytelling. Burns was presented with the medal and a $25,000 prize at a private event and dinner at the Museum.

2016 Recipient - David McCullough

David McCullough is the author of 1776, John Adams, Truman, and other acclaimed historical works. He has been a stalwart supporter of the Museum and led the Museum’s first board of scholars.

“David McCullough’s books have led a revival of interest in American history. “He has been a major force in keeping alive the bold spirit of the American Revolution and has given an entire generation a new appreciation of the great responsibility of liberty. In many ways, David has been an inspiration for me and my leadership of the Museum — to preserve and teach the lessons of our nation’s founding for future generations.” - H.F. (Gerry) Lenfest

The inaugural Lenfest Spirit of the American Revolution Award was presented to Pulitzer Prize-winning author David McCullough at a private event on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016.

About the Lenfest Spirit of the American Revolution Award

The Museum’s Chairman Emeritus H.F. (Gerry) Lenfest, who passed away in August 2018, created the award to recognize distinguished and significant achievement in advancing public awareness and understanding of history and of its relevance in the ongoing American experiment. The Lenfest Award is presented on a semi-regular basis and may be given to an individual or to an organization active in a broad range of fields such as history, education, film-making, writing, media, and philanthropy. Proceeds benefit the Museum’s important educational mission.